Durham MCC University (previously known as Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence) is a

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

coaching centre based at

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills ( Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_cha ...

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...

, County Durham, England, and the name under which the university's cricket team plays.

History

The coaching centre is largely funded by the

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influe ...

(MCC). As of 2012 (with the inclusion of Cardiff South Wales and Leeds/Bradford), they are one of six MCC University teams in England who are considered a first-class team when playing against other first-class sides. This means that a game against another university would ''not'' be considered first class; only matches against a first-class county are accorded this status. Durham are one of only two MCCU sides to be drawn from a single university (the other being

Loughborough Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University. At the 2011 census the town's built-up area had a population of 59,932 , the second large ...

). The cricket coaching at the MCCU was overseen from its inception in 2001 by coach and former

Test Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film), ...

player Graeme Fowler, the university's head coach from 1996, until he stepped down in May 2015. Former

Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...

coach Paul Grayson was announced as the new coach in September 2015. The team's home ground is

The Racecourse The Racecourse is an open area on the River Wear in Durham, England of total that has been used as a sports ground since at least 1733. It forms part of Durham University's sports facilities as well as hosting local sports clubs. The Racecours ...

, Durham University's home ground since 1843 and famous for hosting

Durham County Cricket Club Durham County Cricket Club (rebranded as Durham Cricket in February 2019) is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Durham. Founded in 1882, D ...

's first first-class match in 1992. Since obtaining first-class status in 2001, the university has produced a large number of cricketers who have obtained professional county contracts, while others such as James Foster have gone on to play international cricket. Prior to first-class status, players such as

Andrew Strauss Sir Andrew John Strauss (born 2 March 1977) is an English cricket administrator and former player, formerly the Director of Cricket for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). He played county cricket for Middlesex, and captained the Englan ...

and

Nasser Hussain Nasser Hussain (born 28 March 1968) is a British cricket commentator and former cricketer who captained the England cricket team between 1999 and 2003, with his overall international career extending from 1990 to 2004. A pugnacious right-h ...

played for the university's cricket club. In 2012, they were dismissed for 18 against

. This was the lowest first-class innings total since 1983. As Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence, the team played 27 first-class matches from 2001 to 2009. As Durham Marylebone Cricket Club University, the team played 21 first-class matches (not including one abandoned and two cancelled) from 2010 to 2020.

Honours

* MCC Universities Two-Day Championship winners 2010 * MCC Universities Challenge Final winners 2010 and 2018 * BUCS Cricket National Division winners 2018

References

External links

Team Durham: Cricket

MCC Universities information & history – lords.org
Education in County Durham Sports venues in County Durham Durham University 2001 establishments in England Cricket in County Durham Sport in Durham, England Sport at Durham University Marylebone Cricket Club Student cricket in the United Kingdom County Durham-related lists Former senior cricket clubs {{England-sports-venue-stub

History

Honours

See also

References

External links